Who Am I To Tell You, But.....

Our new norm is unimaginable, yet a reality we all face. We have so much time on our hands, but each daily task becomes more daunting, at least for me. But, this is an uphill battle, and we can't give up now. I was unsure how to write this post or if I should write a post at all, as our feeds are flooded with the same social media content, and we are all attempting self-care tasks, and joining in on the trends one Tik Tok dance at a time. So who am I to tell you what you already know, how to feel, and how to cope, when I am still trying to figure it out myself.

So, I'm just going to wing it and keep it short and sweet. Here is what I know. I spent a good chunk of 2019 holding the weight of uncertainty on my shoulders, and let me tell you it was freaking exhausting. I had no intention of repeating that pattern in 2020, but here we are. No one likes uncertainty, that is obvious, but that doesn't mean we have no control. So, my advice is to focus on the few things you can control, rather than spiraling with the rest of the chaos around you. These things are:

1. Keeping my apartment clean (IF I want to, it's my choice and both options are OK.)

2. Starting a new hobby (or continuing to binge any and every show I can stream.)

3. Working out via Instagram Live (IDK about y'all but some of the most expensive gyms are hosting FREE classes, which is insane.)

4. Journal my thoughts feelings and concerns, (my journal absolutely thinks I am a woman named Susan wanting to speak to the manager.)

5. Attending Zoom Happy Hours (the cheapest happy hour you will ever attend.)

All of these options spark joy, and that is what we should be focusing on during these times.

My next bit of advice is to give yourself time and space. I live with my boyfriend in a 650 sq foot apartment, in D.C. That is A LOT of together time, but we have a schedule and it works. We share table space for when we're on the clock for our big J O B's, then we give ourselves some time throughout the day to watch separate shows, talk on the phone or zoom, play video games, or go out on a walk or run for fresh air. But, even if you aren't living with a roommate allow yourself some peace and quiet and don't feel like you have to feel any type of way. And if you feel alone, ask me about all the fun games you can play on Zoom with your pals! We're all going through something different, and are faced with separate challenges. Give yourself the time you need to work through it and feel OK. You'll see it everywhere, but it is OK to not be OK all of the time, especially now.

My last little bit of advice is this. There is no itemized list on how to get through this time in our lives, but I can say, a vast majority of us have faced challenges that we thought we would never survive, yet we're still here today. We all are so much stronger mentally and physically than we let ourselves believe. This is not an easy time. We are all scared, stressed, and sad, but we have to continue to help each other, support each other, and take care of ourselves day by day. That's how you get through an uphill battle like this. You lean on your loved ones and your community when you need them, you offer support when they need you, and you tell yourself you can do anything, and believe it when you say it. Just know, you're not in this alone, and it will be okay.